Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-06-25

ty at the top of your voice. come and tell me
that you are plotting to bring about an insur-
rection and to plunge the land into war, and
ask me for Bessie as the price of your pro-
lection! And now I will tell you something
In answer, Frank Muller" and the old man
rose up, his keen eyes flashing in wrath, and
Strengthening his bent frame, pointed toward
the door. "Go out of that door and never
come through it again. I rely upon God aud
the English nation to protect me, and not on
such as you, and I would rather see my dear
Bessie dead III her coffin than married to a
knave and traitor and q murderer like
Frank Muller. Co."
The Boer turned white with fury as he
listened. Twice he tried to speak and failed,
and when the words did come they were so
choked and laden with passion as to be
scarcely audible. When thwarted he was
liable to these accesses Of rage, and they,
fguratively speaking, spoiled his character.
Could he have kept his head. he would lave
been a perfect and triumphant villain; but as
1t was, the carefully planned and audacious
rascahty OF years was always apt to be swept
away by the sudden gale of his furious passion.
1t was in such an outburst Of rage that he
had assaulted John in the inn yard at WAX
RESTROOM, and thereby put him on his guard
against him and now it mastered him once
more.
"Very well, Silas Croft" he said at last, II
will go; but mark this, l will come back, and
when l come 1t shall be with men armed with
rifles, will burn this pretty place of yours,
that you are so proud of, over your head, and
will kill you and your friend tho English
man, and take Bessie away, and very soon
she will be glad enough to marry Frank
Mnl1ar. hnf than I will ,ot ,rv l,n, ,1
not If she goes on her knees to me-and she
shall so on her knees often enough. We will
then see what Goo and the English nation will
do to protect you. God and the English ma
ton! Call on the sheep and the horses; call
on the rocks and the trees, and you will get a
better answer"
"Go" Numbered the old man, cor by the
God you blaspheme l will put a bullet
through you,' and he reached toward q rifle
that hung over the mantelpiece, cor my KAT
frs shall whip you off the place"
Frank Muller waited for no more. He
turned and went. 1t was dark now, but
there was still some light i'll the sky at the end
OF the blue gum avenue, and as he rode away
against it he made out Bessie's tall and grace
full form softly outlined upon the darkening
night. John had left her to SEQ about some
pressing matter connected with tho farm,
and there she stood, filed with the great Joy
of a woman who has found her love, and
loath as yet to break its spell by entering
again into tho daily round of common life.
There shc stood, a type and symbol of all
that is beautiful and gracious in this rough
world, the lovelight shining in her blue eyes
and thoughts of happy gratitude to the Giver
Of oil good rising from her hea0 to heaven,
6r0 YIN IN t1itlor nc IL x.oro L1y thu xyorp,th
of her pure passion, rs tho dow mists of the
morning are drawn upward by the sun.
Presently she beard the horses hoofs, and
looked up, SO that tho faint light fell full
upon her face, idealizing it and making its
passion breathing beauty seem more Of heaven
than Of earth. There was some look upon it,
some indetinable light that day-such is the
power that love has to infusa all human things
with the tint Of his own splendor-that it
went even to the heart Of the wild and evil
man who adored her with the deep and savage
force Of his dark nature. For a moment he
paused, half regretful, half afraid. Was it
we'll to NEEDLE with her and to build up plans
for her overthrow and that Of all she chung
to! Would it not be better to let her be, to
go his way and leave her to go hers, in peacet
She did not look quite like a woman standing
there, but more like something belonging to
another world, some subject Of a higher
power. Men Of powerful but undisciplined
intellect like Frank Muller are never entirely
free from superstition, however free they
may be from religion, and he grew supersti-
tious, Us lie was apt to do. Might there not
DO an unknown penalty for treading such a
flower as that into the mire-into mire mixed
perchance with tho blood of those she loved.
For a few seconds he hesitated. Should he
throw up the whole thing, leave tho rebellion
to look after itself, marry ono of Hans
Coetzees daughters, and trek TO the Old
Colony, or B~echuanaland, or anywhere! His
a began to tighten on his bride rein and
the horse to answer to the pressure. AS a
first step toward it he would turn away to
the left and avoid her, when suddenly the
thought of his successful rival flashed into his
mind. What! leave her with that man!
Never! He had rather kill her with his own
hand. In another second he had sprung from
his horse, and, before she had guessed who it
was, was standing face to face with her. Tho
strength Of his jealous desire ~overpowered
him.
"Ah, l thought he had como after missie,"
said Jantje, who, pursuing his former tactics,
was once more INDUCING his passion of stink
ing about behind trees and in tufts Of grass.
NOW Wunb Will missile Say!'
"How are you, Bessie" he said, in a quiet
voice; but she, looking into his face, saw that
it belied his voice. 1t was alive with evil
passions that seemed to mako it positively
lurid, all effect that its undoubted beauty
only intensified.
II am quite well, thank you, Mr.. Muller"
she answered, as she began to move home
ward, commanding her voice as we'll as she
could hr,k faolir~ lrnoNf,,11xr f~;oxhko,ol o,l
lonely. She knew something of her admirers
character, and feared to be left alone with
him, SO far from any help, for nobody was
about now, and they were more than 300
yards from the house.
He stood before her, so that she could not
pass without actually pushing past him.
"Why are you in such a hurry?' lie said.
"You were standing still enough just now"
ut is time for me to be getting in. l want
to sec about the supper"
"The supper can wait a while, Bessie, and /
cannot wait. I am going off TO Paarde
Kraal tomorrow at daybreak, and l want to
say good by to you first"
"Good by" she slid, more frightened than
ever at his curious, constrained manner, and
she held out her hand.
He tool it and held it.
"Please let me 60" she said.
"Not till you lave heard what I nave to
say. Look here, Bessie, l love you with all
my heart. l know you think l am only a
Boer, but I am more than that. I have been
to the Cape and seen the world. I have
brains, n can see and understand things,
and if you will marry me I will lift you up.
You shall be one of the greatest ladies in
Africa, though l an only plain Frank Muller
now. Great things are going to happen in
the country, and l shall be at the head Of